


The Prologue

by Kneeshee



Series: JayKyle Week 2020 [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Green Lantern (Comics), Green Lantern - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: F/M, I Will Go Down With This Ship, JayKyle, M/M, Pre-Relationship, This was created in the jaykyle discord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26326048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kneeshee/pseuds/Kneeshee
Summary: twitter: @neshthefairyinstagram: @kneshawtumblr: @kneesheee
Series: JayKyle Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912960
Comments: 12
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: @neshthefairy  
> instagram: @kneshaw  
> tumblr: @kneesheee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know more about this universe or see snippets of what I planned or just didn’t or will probably not make it into the story....
> 
> Join me on my discord server.
> 
> https://discord.gg/2J3TSYY

It all started with Apollo.

  
Many millennia had passed since the gods ventured to earth. This isn’t including Themyscira and Bana-Mighdall. A rule had been made that if they were to venture to the earthly plains, do **not** bear children. It still had been many centuries since a halfblooded child had been born. The mortals were no longer interesting to them. They didn’t deserve to be blessed with their divine light.

One would think that Apollo would follow this rule. He was the god of reason and knowledge. He was Zeus’ favored son. He wouldn’t break the rule. He wouldn’t. He didn’t. At least not a first.

  
Her name had been Catherine Marley. She was pediatric nurse that sung to all the children that flocked towards her. She was always singing or humming. Whether she was putting the children to bed or just doing her rounds. The sounds out of her mouth were something musical. Apollo fell and he fell hard. Her voice was so beautiful that it brought tears to his eyes. Their relationship was a world wind of passion. He healed every child in her ward. Catherine was even singing then. He wanted to marry her. He wanted to make her his in every way. He kept descending from the heavens to be with her until he started to feel the other gods’ presence. He couldn’t stay. His divinity was drawing too much attention. He was lucky that she hadn’t gotten pregnant, but it was only a matter of time. With a heavy heart, he ended their affair and went back to Olympus. As he was leaving, he had a vision. She would somehow end up back in his orbit. 

He couldn’t wait for the day.

On the other side of the world, Aphrodite descended from the heavens after another argument with Ares and Hephaestus. She morphed her features to look like an unassuming woman. She took on the name Maura. She lived in Ireland which would be the last place anyone looked for her. Green didn’t complement her complexion, so she tended to avoid it.

(She was pleasantly surprise that Ireland was not all about green and dug deep into the culture. If there was one thing she knew as the goddess of beauty, is that everyone’s culture had something beautiful about it and that it’s worth learning about.)

Then she met him.

Aaron Rayner. At least that’s what he introduced himself as. He was beautiful and cloaked in enough mystery that she was instantly drawn towards him. She fell and she fell hard. Aphrodite knew that he was only interested in her to uncover her secrets. It’s not like she didn’t see him following her around before she ultimately had to disappear back to heavens. It became a game and she loved it. She loved him. 

In such, she disregarded the rule.

She loved him.

She married him.

She gave him a child.

Even when Aaron… excuse her, Gabriel Vasquez left her to raise their son alone. She hadn’t really cared. It was a little difficult. She couldn’t just leave her child for days on end when she needed to return to Olympus, but she made it work. Her son was just so wonderful. He was so handsome. She took one look at him and the Gaelic tumbled from her mouth. She named him Kyle. _Kyle Rayner_.

Oh, her darling boy had a full of curly hair that reminded her of Apollo. He had kaleidoscopic eyes that marked him as her son. His cheeks were so pinchable and reminded her of Hermes. Aphrodite missed this feeling. She missed being a mother. All her other children were so grown now. They didn’t want or need her to dote on them.

On Kyle’s second birthday, she snuck him onto Olympus while Apollo once again snuck away. She hid him in Apollo’s room since no one ever ventured into his space in fear of facing the archer’s wrath. Kyle was immediately taken in by all the pretty colors and paints. 

  
Meanwhile, Apollo was back on earth. He shifted his form into something different than when he was with Catherine. He peeked in on his previous lover to find out that she was married now. He was happy for her. 

Another woman had managed to draw his attention. Sheila Haywood. Her red curls reminded him of the sunset. The freckles on her cheek reminded him of his beloved brother Hermes. Her smile reminded him of his mother. She wanted to be a doctor. A healer. Her dedication to her passion reminded him of his sister, Athena. 

  
The first time he kissed her… he saw their future. He saw their son. He saw a boy with a smile that rivaled the sun chariot. He saw him studying and singing. He watched his son study to become a doctor. He didn’t see everything, but he saw enough.

He loved Sheila. He loved their unborn son. 

His heart was broken when he found that she was cheating on him with another. It was like Coronis all over again. She was pregnant with his child, yet she willingly laid with another man. One could only imagine his shock when he found out the man, she was cheating with was his beloved Catherine’s own husband. Catherine deserved better, but he knew that if he were to show himself, it wouldn’t end well. 

Apollo escaped back to the heavens to grieve. He felt when his child was born. The boy was powerful. He could sense that. Apollo couldn’t descend back to earth, but he could get back at Shelia and make sure his son was loved at the same time. He exposed Shelia’s dealings, and he watched her flee the country. But not before he whispered into her ear, “Give him to Willis. He is not the father. No one has to know the truth.”

Apollo had been correct when he knew that Catherine would be heartbroken by the truth (not the complete truth but enough). But his heart still longed for her. It still skipped a beat when he saw how easily she accepted his son. When she held his son in her hands, he whispered into her ear, “Name him the healer. Name him _Jason_.” 

The sons of the god and goddess of beauty had been born. 

It was no coincidence that the two of them were the only demigods born in this time.

It was fate.


	2. |.|

Kyle was five years old when he learned that his mother was a goddess. This wasn’t even a typical reaction of a loving mother-son relationship. His mother was an _actual_ goddess. Immortal with powers and everything. She was his hero.

Kyle was five years old when he learned that he was a demigod. His mother took him on another trip to the strange place with people wearing bedsheets. She packed his bag full of his favorite candies and fruits. She had all his coloring pencils and markers. She even let him bring paint this time.

The only bad part was that he had to wear a bedsheet too and not his iron man shirt. But his mother made it better by letting him wear his iron man bedsheet. He even was able to bring his captain America coloring book.

His mother snuck him into her temple, before showing him his room. It was way bigger than their apartment in California.

His mother sat him down in front of the mirror and comb his hair. It was getting long like his mother’s. It was his favorite thing. She combs his hair and sing to him. Then she’d cut his hair and tell him they were going to sacrifice it to the Greek god, Apollo.

Maura Rayner told him a lot of stories about the Greek gods as if she lived in their time. She loved them a lot and she let him draw pictures to go with her stories. But she hated when he drew the scary monsters. She said it wasn’t his time to face them, so there was no need to draw them.

“My sweet little boy,” she started, her voice as soft as cotton. Her eyes were multicolored like his own. “There are some things you need to know. Your destiny is still unclear to me, but I know your heart. You will be hero. One of the greatest. That’s why you need to start your training now.”

Kyle was confused. He didn’t understand what his mother was saying. “Mētēr?”

Maura smiled gently at him through the mirror, “What’s your name, sweetie?”

A wide smile crossed his face, “Kyle Rayner!”

His mother’s eyes sparkled with joy, “And what does ‘Kyle’ mean?”

“Handsome!”

His mother nodded sagely, “That’s right sweetie. And what’s the ‘girl’ version of handsome?”

“Beautiful!”

Her lips twisted into a wry smile as she gazed upon her son. It’s been so wonderful watching him grow. She knew however that she wouldn’t be able to keep his identity a secret for much longer. The Amazons were so close to having a civil war. The gods would be recalled to Olympus for the entire duration. She couldn’t abandon her son. Not her baby.

“And who is the goddess of beauty?”

Kyle pouted in confusion. His mother was testing him. This wasn’t a game like usual. “Aphrodite?”

Aphrodite was proud. She had worked with him patiently to be able to get his pronunciations correct. It had taken awhile, but her little boy was so smart. “That’s my name, little dove. I am Aphrodite.”

Kyle shook his head, “No, mama’s name is Maura.”

The laugh that she released sounded like tinkering bells. Kyle stared at his mother. She was _beautiful_. He loved her. She was his mom.

“Oh, sweet child,” she stated softly as she clipped his hair. “Do not ever change. My little godling. My little hero.”

Kyle was five years old when he learned that his mother was a goddess.

Kyle was five years old when he learned that he was a demigod.

She began to hum under her breath, “ _Darling don’t be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I love you for a thousand more.”_

_\--_

_“One step closer,”_ a dark-haired woman sang singing to the two-year-old toddler in her hands _. “I have died every day waiting for you. Darling don’t be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years. I love you for a thousand more.”_

She didn’t notice the golden god standing over her shoulder smiling at the young boy in her arms. Golden eyes connected with eyes the shade of a robin’s egg as the child stared curiously at the god. “ _Time stands still. Beauty in all she is. I will be brave. I will not let anything take away. What’s standing in front of me. Every breath, every hour has come to this…”_

 _“One step closer,”_ the two lovers sang together. The child’s eyes brightened happily. “My little sunshine. Your destiny is still unclear to me, but I know your heart. You will be hero. One of the greatest. Live long, little sun. Live happily.”

“Jason Peter do not ever doubt that I love you, my son. Child of my ichor. Child of my heart. Child of the sharpshooter. I wish to take you back to Olympus with me to protect and raise you. To save you from your fate, but you are much too strong my child. The moment you step foot onto the mountain every monster and immortal will know. ‘Tis not your fate. Not yet.”

Apollo looked at the woman… his previous lover, Catherine as she continued to sing to his child… their child. He smiled sadly. She came back into his orbit. Back into his life. But her fate had been decided so long ago. “Protect him while you can, my love. He is the healer. He will heal where you are hurt. “

Catherine sat the child down into his playpen and Apollo crouched down to the boy’s level. He summoned a small necklace with the symbol of the lyre dangling from it. He pulled it over the child’s neck warping the power around it for it to only be visible when the time was right. It would let him keep track of his son’s health and happiness. There were dark times ahead of him, and Apollo did not know how bad it will become. The tension within the Amazons was rising. Soon, Apollo would not be able to sneak away for visits. 

“ _Darling don’t be afraid_ _I have loved you for a thousand years. I love you for a thousand more.”_


	3. |.|

Jason was seven years old the first time he used his powers.

His mother was sick. The medicine that she was buying from the men down the street wasn’t working. She laid on the couch with a glazed look in her eye. The curtains would be opened so what little sun that peeked from behind the clouds could shine through.

She would giggle to herself and sometimes called out to someone that wasn’t there, “ _Paieon_.”

Jason didn’t know who Paieon was, but he figured the person was special to his mother. Those were the days that the sun seemed to shine just a little brighter. It was as if the sun itself had entered the room. He would crawl onto the couch with his mother and just sing quietly to himself. _“But every time you hurt me the less that I cry. And every time you leave me, the quicker these tears dry.”_

Tears would roll down his face. He would stare out the window cuddled into his mother’s arms while he sang. He wouldn’t notice the golden god sitting on the arm of the couch, but Catherine would. Apollo keeps himself from healing her from her addiction. He could not stop fate no matter how many centuries pass and no matter how much he tried.

He would watch silently as his son’s tears splashed against his foster mother’s skin. He would stay silent as his son’s tears filled with his love and Apollo’s essence healed Catherine just a little. She would blink and lose sight of him as the veil of magic once again covered her. _“I’m never gonna let you close to me. Even though you mean the most to me. Cause every time I open up, it hurts.”_

Apollo would watch silently as Catherine came back to herself. As the realization and self-loathing crumpled her expression… she did it again. Fell so deep in her head while Jason was around to see.

Apollo would move closer to his son. He would frame his face gently. “ _Every time I open up, it hurts. Son, we don’t stand a chance. It’s sad but it’s true.”_

Jason would watch as the brightness of the sun dimmed through the window as the clouds covered it from sight. “ _I’m way too good at goodbyes.”_

_\--_

Aphrodite nervously fluttered around the home grabbing any and everything that would be needed for a long stay in Olympus. She had already made careful mention of visiting family in Ireland to the neighbors. It would keep people from looking too hard. She transformed two doves to head for the airport earlier just to sell the story.

She carefully tugged her son’s paints and pencils into their own separate bag. She rewrote the list of his favorite foods. She almost torn her hair out when she couldn’t find the book where she kept recipes substitutes for the things that he was allergic too.

Aphrodite checked on him once more as her little boy slept on. She was lucky that he was out for summer break. At least this way she didn’t have to worry about his education (which honestly left much to desired. She’d have to ask Apollon to tutor him.) A glance at the clock told her she only had a few more hours before Zeus would no doubt recall all the gods. Apollo had foreseen that the Amazons would begin their fighting at sunset.

She sneered. Their little jealous hearts couldn’t get over the fact that Queen Hippolyta managed to gain Zeus’ affections. Not enough to gain Hera’s fury, but just enough to blessed her with a child. A child that has grown to become famous and bring attention to their hidden lands.

Now everyone else had to suffer due to their rage.

Aphrodite continued to pack for their trip. Hopefully, this little war would be over by the end of summer. She had signed Kyle up for a local art club. If they made her son miss his chance of making friends, her kaleidoscopic eyes gleamed with power, she’d blast that island so far under the sea that Poseidon wouldn’t even be able to find it.

She finished packing quickly then cleaned the apartment up some. She grabbed the photo album she had been creating. She flipped through it silently. Most of the pictures were of him as a baby. Others were the random places she had snuck him off to on Olympus.

He was incredibly powerful, but if he didn’t use his powers then no one would know she broken the rule.

But she wouldn’t be able to keep him a secret for months on end. And his powers were developing every day. She could only do so much to slow down the progression.

Sighing softly, Aphrodite waved her hand around the room sending their luggage and supplies to her temple on Olympus. She walked back to her son’s room and admired him as he slept on. He was so beautiful. As adorable as he was, surely, the other Olympians wouldn’t be too angry.

Feeling the charge of electricity in the air as Zeus called for the gods, Aphrodite moved towards her son. She ran her hand through his hair before gently awakening him. “Little dove wake up. Come on, heartbreaker, we have to go now.”

Kyle blinked up at her with his multicolored eyes tiredly before reaching for her to hold him. He was getting much too big for this, and if Aphrodite was mortal, he would be too heavy for her to carry. But she loved being able to dote on her child no matter how old he may be.

“Close your eyes, darling,” she muttered into his ear. “We must return to the Olympus.”

Kyle was much too tired to question why they would be going back so soon. They had already snuck their way up there when for spring break. Kyle did his best artwork in the land of the gods. Sighing once more, Aphrodite faded away from their comfy apartment into the throne room of the Olympians.

Apollo was already in his throne looking over the Earth. He didn’t even glance up at her appearance. She could sense Zeus continuously pouring out his essence calling for the return of the other gods. She looked curiously over at the only other Olympian as beautiful as she.

“Do not look so surprise,” he stated still without sparing her a glance. “My sister and I have known since you first became pregnant. That’s not even to mention the amount of times you hid him away in my temple. Just because I am not there does not mean that I do not know what is going on.”

Aphrodite pouted slightly before rearranging Kyle into a more comfortable position. “I do have a favor to ask of you, Apollyon. The mortal education leaves much to be desired. Will you be willing to tutor my son? I know you have been waiting patiently on your long-desired revenge against Zephyrus.”

The golden god turned to stare at her before a small smile crossed his normally cool expression, “I thought you’d never ask.”

The council room was filling slowly but surely. Aphrodite produced a blanket to cover her son while looking uninterested as she began to knit another sweater for him. The two of them did spend a good amount of his winter holidays venturing through Paris. He had so many beautiful paintings of the city of love covered in snow.

Zeus made his way to his throne and looked over the crowd of gods. He made eye contact with all five of his siblings, smiled gently at his children, nodded his head in respect to other minor gods that help keep Olympus running. His attention was drawn to his daughter in law as the blanket shifted from her lap. He zeroed in on the head full of curls peeking out. He absently noted the twins’ look of amusement.

“Aphrodite, what is that peeking from under your blanket,” Zeus questioned rhetorically. He could sense the presence of the a godling. Of a demigod. A forbidden child.

The goddess in question set aside her knitting equipment before sitting up straight in her throne. Her eyes swirled with power. No two colors were the same shade as she looked the King of Gods directly in the eye. She pulled the blanket down slowly revealing a sun kissed child. Inky black curls that reminded the king of both his sons, Apollo and Hermes. Slightly feminine features that reminded him of his youngest son, Dionysus. His heart shaped face reminded him very much of the goddess who held him.

He already knew the words that she was going to speak.

“This is my son, Kyle Rayner.”

_Chaos erupted._


	4. |.|

Jason was thirteen when he first learned that he was a demigod. It was a joint mission with Batman and Wonder Woman. _The Wonder Woman. The Best Hero ever._

And she brought _Wonder Girl._

This was the best day of Jason’s life.

Batman and Nightwing were down in the Batcave when the two sisters arrived. Jason had just finished his English homework and changed into his suit. He was almost bursting with energy. He had so many questions to ask them.

_(Did they really live on a secret island? Could Wonder Woman adopt him? What did he have to do to become an Amazon? Did Lord Hermes really steal Lord Apollo’s cattle? Were Athena’s eyes actually grey? Could they really pick up Nightwing and Batman with one hand?)_

But they had gasped loudly when he came into view. Their hands inched towards their lassos and they both took a step back.

Then something weird happened.

Both Amazons bowed on one knee.

To him?

To Jason?

A kid from Park Row?

“Son of Phoebus.”

Jason stared wide eyed at the two before a golden light seemed to manifest directly in the cave. Batman had covered both his sons with his cape as the light shined bright enough to blind them all before dimming.

Inching from under the cape, Jason was struck with familiarity though he knows logically he had never met this person before. Hair as golden as the sun coiled together loosely fell down his tan back. Eyes either as gold as the sun or blue as the sky seemed to pierce his entire being. A small smile crossed his face that made Jason feel like he was finally at home.

“Lord Apollyon,” Wonder Woman gasped in awe. The god of light tilted his head to her in greeting before once again facing Jason.

“Princess Diana and Donna,” the god spoke. His eyes never left Jason as he spoke. “You have done me a great disservice but a bigger favor.” His voice had a musical tilt to it as if he were singing instead of speaking. “It brings me great honor to introduce you to my son. Jason.”

The hairs on Jason arm seemed to rise. It felt as if someone was watching them. It gave off a similar feeling as Alfred. Old and wise. It felt like family.

Diana’s eyes grew wide, “ _The healer.”_

Donna gasped in shock, “But Lord Apollyon, what about The Rule?”

Jason had a feeling that The Rule was much more significant than what it seemed. He could definitely hear the capital letters in her voice. The god’s smile turned slightly sheepish, but there was a deep pain in his eyes. A hurt than he never quite moved on from.

Jason wanted to be angry. This god. This mystical being was supposed to be his father. Where was he when Jason needed him the most? Where was he when Catherine got into her moods? Apollo was supposed to be the god of healing so why didn’t he heal her from her addiction. And for him to be his father… did that mean Catherine cheated on Willis? Did Apollo take advantage of her?

“As Aphrodite always say, love can bring even the strongest gods to their knees,” the bringer of light ignored Batman and Nightwing as he knelt before Jason. “I apologize, my son, for not showing myself when you needed me the most. I tried to always be there if even you could not see me. I-I wish that I could go back and do everything differently but alas, I cannot. You are powerful, little sun. You have gifts that you wouldn’t even dream. “

“I don’t want anything from you,” Jason scowled. “You left me. You left mom. You left both of us with Willis. Where were you when I was on the streets?”

Tears gathered at the corner of the gods at eyes, “I was there watching. No matter how much I wish to interfere, I cannot change fate. When Catherine was sick, it was your tears that healed her. It was my sun that shined and gave hope for a better day. When you had to run from those beasts, it was me who dimmed the brightest of your beauty. When you needed comfort, it was both of us who brought forth the creatures of the alley. When you need it an escape, it was me who led you to the library. But it was you who feasted on its knowledge.”

He reached for Jason’s hands, “I am so sorry that I could not do more for you, child. You are much too powerful. I wish to take you back to Olympus with me to protect and raise you.”

But Jason was no longer listening and instead shook his head as he turned back towards Bruce. Apollo almost cried before he straightened and backed away. He waved his hand through the air. The very air seemed to ripple around Jason’s neck before a necklace manifested around his neck.

The young teen didn’t know how he knew, but he knew that this necklace had been with him since he was a kid.

“Jason Peter do not ever doubt that I love you, my son. Child of my ichor. Child of my heart. Child of the sharpshooter.”

In a blink of an eye, the golden god was gone as if he had never been there.

* * *

Aphrodite had been in a council meeting when she felt that something had happened to her son. One could simply call it her motherly instincts. But Aphrodite was the goddess of love and pleasure. Modern day retelling simply calls it lust.

And that includes battle lust.

She felt incredibly surprise when she caught a brief flicker of battle lust wash over her son before disappearing.

Kyle didn’t like fighting.

He spent most of his times sketching and painting. He read comics and played video games. He trailed after Apollo and Hermes and Dionysus like a little duckling.

Despite being a child of a war goddess, her son was no fighter. He knew how to defend himself. He had been trained in a form of combat since his introduction at age ten. But he was content with just being an artist. (And she much preferred it that way. Her other more warlike children tended to stress her out when it comes to the battle that they were in.)

Aphrodite turned out Athena’s commentary on the recovery of the Amazon forces as she turned her gaze to her son. She tensed as some creepy ass mortal handed her son a ring. Aphrodite swore she had taught Kyle the importance of stranger danger.

Yet---

The second the ring was placed on his fingers… Aphrodite thought she could hear a camphone of voices speaking at once.

_“Kyle Rayner. You have the ability to overcome great fear. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps."_

Aphrodite shot up in her seat. No. She had heard of the Green Lantern Corps. The Amazon princess worked with some of its members. She was pretty sure that one of them had went insane. Of course, the little mortal’s home had been destroyed, but from what she heard, the man was killing anyone that wielded the rings.

She couldn’t lose her baby.

She paid no attention to the rest of the members that were focusing on her. Her clothing morphed into her battle armor as she descended back to the mortal plane. Her son turned to her with wide eyes.

“No,” she stated before he could get a word in. “I forbid it. Kyle, give him back that ring right this instant!”

“Mom.”

“No,” she shook her head. “I cannot lose you. You cannot join them.”

“Mom. I think I have to.”

“No,” she yelled stopping her foot. Her anger rose within her. Somewhere in the world, men and women were raging as love and lust exploded within them. “You don’t have to be anything you don’t want to be. And you never wanted to be a hero.”

Kyle wrapped his arms around his mother. He could feel her tears soaking his shirt. A part of him hoped she wouldn’t ground him for being in underage at this bar. [But Dionysus had been coming in clutch for awhile now and this is the only bar close enough that sells his favorite wine for a decent price.]

“Mētēr,” Aphrodite sniffled. She loved hearing Greek phrases from him. “I have to do this. I need to this. He chose me. I have to see it through.”

She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to tear the entire green lantern corps apart limb by limb and brick by brick. Instead she looked her son in the eye.

“Little dove. Child of my ichor. Child of my heart. Son of the Sparrows. You will stay safe. We will up your training. My little heartbreaker. I know your heart. You will be hero. One of the greatest.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know more about this universe or see snippets of what I planned or just didn’t or will probably not make it into the story....  
> Join me on my discord server.
> 
> https://discord.gg/2J3TSYY


	5. |.|

April 27th.

Kyle didn’t understand why today was so significant. He had been called back from Oa. 

Kyle knew his mother’s family was powerful, but he didn’t know they were that powerful. His mother had walked into the council room dressed to the nines in her armor. She was dressed none too differently than Aunt Artemis. Her hair was the color of sea mist as it was pulled into a long braid down her back.

Kyle could see the looks of love and passion. The looks of jealousy and anger. The looks of awe and inspiration. His mother was a goddess. She deserved nothing less.  
Even as her facial features were twisted in rage and--- grief?

  
She marched her way into the council room. All the Lanterns that were planet sized stood outside the rooms desperate to hear something. Kyle could feel her power rising through the air even as he put up a shield around everyone that he could to keep them from being affected.

After what felt like two hours but was reasonably ten minutes, she emerged back from the inside. She had leave requests forms that were signed and dated and laminated in her hands. She gave him the LookTM. Kyle let the green glow evaporate from around him. He stood before the other Lanterns in his favorite chiton. His mother placed her hand on his shoulder, and he could feel more of her divinely protection washing over him. Her power swirled around him before covering him completely. When her light faded away, he was dressed in armor. 

  
“Come, my son,” she stated. He could see the aborted motions of those that couldn’t believe she was his mother. She looked young enough to be his sister. He could see the shock on the faces of those that believed the two were something else. “We have a family emergency.”

Yet when they returned to Olympus, Kyle couldn’t see what the emergency was exactly. All the gods were in attendance. He hadn’t seen this many immortals on the mountain since the day he was first introduced. 

Right now, he was hiding away in a crevice near Uncle Apollo’s temple. Clouds roamed slowly over the sky as Selene let the moon sail through the sky. Aunt Artemis was with the others deep inside the throne room. There had been a lot of yelling going on, and Kyle was just a mere mortal. He escaped before powers could be brought out. 

He absently sketched out a scene of some old warehouse as he listened to the sound of music that was always present in his uncle’s temple. 

Kyle’s attention had been drawn to the sound of his Uncle’s loud and furious cries as they echoed over the mountain. He stood to his feat when he saw the Fates’ make their way to throne room. He bowed stiffly just as everyone else. 

Atropos glanced over at him then looked at the sketchbook lying on beside him. Her smiled seemed almost sad. 

Apollo’s cries seemed to increase when they entered the throne room. Kyle flew quickly to his mother’s temple when he felt the mountain begin to shake with his rage. He made his way to his room where he set his sketchbook down. 

Glancing at the only mortal clock that he had, he noticed it was nearing 9 am back in California. Yet when he forced himself to gaze down the mountain, he could only see a country near the coast of East Africa. 

  
A chill went down his back as he saw Thanatos fly down towards the country. He saw the god dodge one of Apollo’s arrows even as the golden god jumped off the mountain in rage. The two grappled in the air before Artemis rode past in her chariot to grab her twin. Uncle Hermes flew towards his siblings and placed a hand onto his friend’s arm.  
Kyle longed to draw the scene. The emotions pouring off Apollon were magical in nature. There was just something so beautiful about them especially with the gentle way that Hermes and Artemis comforted him. 

  
(He hadn’t realized that he was still sketching a scene from the warehouse earlier.)

  
Hermes patted his brother’s arm once more before following Thanatos down into the country. The twins followed them at a distance. 

Something was going on and Kyle didn’t think he liked what it was. Especially not when Atropos appeared at his side. The goddess sighed just a little. She didn’t appear as an old lady that as she tended to favor. She was as young as he was. Unblemished skin with long curly silver hair. Her eyes looked endless. 

“Do you fear me, Kyle?”

Kyle wanted to say no. He wanted to say that as a Green Lantern… he couldn’t afford to fear anything. But it took him years to understand that he didn’t get his fear because he could overcome fear. Ganthet gave him this ring not because he overcome fear, but because he embraces fear and then overcome it.

“It’s alright if you do. Many people do. I have been called many things in their fear. I hear the many pleads of mortals questioning why. Why did their love ones have to die? What couldn’t they just die? You mortals are very peculiar. I have been alive more than all the people on earth, but together and yet… mortals still question Fate.”

Kyle had no idea where this was going.

“Some people only see the ugliness of death. They only believe that I’m a harbinger of death and destruction. None of them see the truth.”

“What is the truth?”

She turned to look him in the eyes, “Tell me, Kyle. What is your opinion of death?”

His brows furrowed, “I-I think its beautiful. I mean look at Thanatos. Death is supposed to be peaceful. The gateway and freedom of life. Mom always says that death is the mother of beauty.”

Atropos smiled lightly as she turned to look back at the gods on earth, “I supposed she is right. It had taken the murder of Ouranos that led to her birth.”

Kyle glanced at the clock. The time had changed and suddenly, it was 6:59 pm.

When he turned to look back at Atropos, she was gone. 

It had only taken a minute, but Kyle could feel that something wasn’t right. He could see from the heavens that Diana and Donna were flying quickly to the scene. 

Something was wrong. 

(His hands still never left the sketchbook that was now in his lap.)

He longed to go out and help but something was compelling to stay. He couldn’t interfere. 

This was---

This was fate.

It hit him with sudden clarity. Someone was dying. Someone important. 

His heart was in his ears as he focused onto the warehouse that he could see Thanatos entering. Hermes stopped by the Amazon sisters and spoke lowly with them. The two broke down into sobs before placing something in the god’s hands. They began to fly upwards. Back towards Olympus. 

Hermes entered the building. 

Kyle felt faint. 

Artemis guided her chariot back to Olympus. Apollo’s gaze never left the building. 

The batmobile pulled up to the scene.

The clock struck 7.

It felt like hours, yet it was only seconds. 

The building exploded outwards. 

Kyle’s sketchbook dropped out his hands. 

Once the smoke clears away, Hermes was once again by the twins’ side. Apollo had his face buried into his sister’s shoulders. The Amazon sisters had only just landed on the mountain. He could see them hold onto each other as tears poured from their eyes. 

But his attention had been drawn back to Batman. 

He was carrying something.

No, he was carrying someone. 

Was that—

Was that Robin?

Kyle fell to his knees. The scent of his mother’s perfume embraced him as she wrapped him in her arms. He knew she was scared for the chance that it may be him. 

But that wasn’t possible.

He was a hero.

Robin was a hero.

Heroes aren’t supposed to die.

Tears flowed down his face as Apollo’s essence washed over the world. They would feel his pain. His grief. 

(Kyle would later remember the rumors of him having a demigod child himself. Of the mighty Apollyon going against the will of Zeus.)

Kyle buried his face into his mother’s embrace.

And lying hazard on the floor was a picture of a young boy lying in a pool of blood. A timer was near his stomach and a crowbar near his head. The symbol of the lyre would be wrapped around his neck. 

His young face set in a mixture of pleading and acceptance.

* * *

Jason covered his biological mother with his body as much as he could. He could feel tears of pain and sadness and acceptance drip from his face. 

He felt the hairs rise on his skin as if someone was watching him. In the corner of the room, he could see the shadows warp and wings flap against wind that wasn’t there. 

His necklace felt unbearably hot. 

“Dad, please,” he thought. “I’ve never asked you for anything else.”

Three.

A man with curly brown hair and tears in his eyes wearing winged shoes stood before him. 

Two.

He held out a gold coin. The creature… no, the man with wings emerged from the shadows. 

One.

“Da- “

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to know more about this universe or see snippets of what I planned or just didn’t or will probably not make it into the story....  
> Join me on my discord server.
> 
> https://discord.gg/2J3TSYY

**Author's Note:**

> I am on an Apollo binge. He is my favorite Olympian god. He always has been since I first got into Greek mythology. I am completely biased to him. I try to stay realistic to the myths when writing him (which you haven't seen yet because I haven't actually posted it) but I also try to add in a little fandom theory to him. Rick Riordan originally wrote him as this bubbly blonde that recites horrible haikus and only cares for himself and Artemis. And don't even get me started on the mess DC wrote about the gods. 
> 
> So, anyway, this is a series and more will be added during JayKyle week in October. See you then!


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